One of the more amazing things about underground parking garages in Europe (particularly in the UK) is that wealthy families and individuals seem to have a habit of leaving desirable cars in their assigned parking spots for years at a time. I assume this is a condition of being super wealthy; you simply lose track of where you last parked your Ferrari. Or, perhaps you parked in the supercar in a country that you then left for 10 years after going on a worldwide sailing excursion and living in Thailand for a few years. So many possibilities! Anyhow, it’s still rewarding to see this forgotten Ferrari 328 GTS brought back to life here on YouTube.
To some extent, I can understand leaving an old luxury car behind; after all, the older those get, the less enjoyable they are to drive. The floaty handling gets even worse and all of those high-end, vacuum-operated luxury features cease to function. But a driver’s car, like a Ferrari 328? I will never understand letting a driver’s car stand for decades at a time. This car was removed at the prompting of the original family owners that hired this UK-based Ferrari specialist to extract the car from the garage and refurbish it for road use.
The Ferrari truthfully was not bad for a forgotten exotic, but it needed the full assortment of suspension and brake work due to failed or hardened components. Of course, like all Ferraris of a certain age, it also needed a cam belt service, which typically requires removing the engine. The specialist in the video rattles off a long list of repairs his shop has tackled in the interest of making the Ferrari safe and roadworthy for regular use, and I’m sure the current long-term owner sank $15,000 or better into the refurbishment. Hopefully, an investment like that will prompt them to use the classic sports car more than they have recently.
The host of the video walks us through the extensive repairs his shop provided, but I’m distracted by how good this 328 still looks after it’s been sufficiently cleaned and detailed. The beauty of underground car parks is that they do a decent job of keeping cars protected from the elements, but they also tend to hide cars so well that you don’t know they’re down there, covered in dust and waiting for owners to come back from multi-year stays in foreign countries. It’s hard to tell why the family that owned this Ferrari left it behind, but we’re at least pleased to see a mild restoration being carried out so it can potentially see the road again this summer
The seller did a good job by showing before & after pictures.
It’s nice to see that it was fixed & serviced by a Ferrari specialist,
so I would assume that you could drive it as it sits.
When we were on the “Big Island” of Hawaii,I saw a 328
driving the other way on the highway.I was thinking what a waste
that was,as the speed limit was 45mph,& there were numerous
unmarked patrol cars along the route.
A beautiful 328, and a beautiful story….wish they all ended up with this result.
👍
A chap in my complex had one…turned out it was a kit car.
if I got it back ready to drive for 15k I would thank them profusely.
Points and plugs: $15k ;-)
FWIW, I gather Ferrari 308/328 models don’t require engine-out service for routine maintenance such as timing belt replacement, as the job can be done with the engine in-situ, accessing some areas via the rear wheel well.
Other engines could be substituted that would make servicing easier. Why not a nice Dodge 225? Could easily change the plugs and everything else needed, plus be more reliable and make a friendlier sound. Who wouldn’t like to hear that great old Chrysler starter work its magic? The 225 with a five speed would be great, more power then you would need and make it more affordable while still having the sexy shape. An inline six makes just so much more sense for these cars.
Huh???
And while you are at it, why not craft in the faux continental spare tire off a ’60 Valiant.
“Make a friendlier sound”?? He’s kidding, right??
wut ???
Grant, such a kidder!
Pat, of course its a joke, but maybe not. A 225 balanced with EFI can put out similar HP with a proper cam. Can you imagine how nice it would be to work on? Go to any car parts store and spend pennies on the dollar versus the vulgarity you would pay for the standard engine parts. If a person was not worried about resale value and had a blown engine, why not give it a try? Might be fun at a car show. I bet most people would laugh and then approve.
Yep – understand the sentiment – mine used to throw belts on a regular basis …. got sick of that and sold it back to the dealer …
Yes, that’s right, bless Ferrari for that! But other models – not so lucky.
Correct. The first 3×8 Ferrari that repot he engine drop for belt service was the 348. Previous V8s were transverse mounted, with the timing belts, therefore, on the side. The 355 also required an engine drop, but after that the 360 and successors had an access panel behind the seats. Dropping the engine is pretty simple given it was engineered to done every 50k miles (later advised to be done at 30k). But it’s still expensive even if you do it yourself. The parts alone are $3k if you’re thorough. But in total, I believe there were only 3 F cars that required engine out service. Regardless, every non-Ferrari owner persists in believing that every Ferrari requires an engine out service.
An underground parking garage sounds like the perfect storage spot. The car stays out of the elements (rain, snow, hail especially), and it’s also safe from the UV rays that make interior parts disintegrate.
I bought a Cadillac Fleetwood that was long term stored in an underground garage just outside of Toronto. The car was never driven in the rain or snow and looked mint. Unfortunately his neighbours on both sides of the car did drive year round. The constant moisture caused the frame to rust through.
Exotic cars are conquests. You lust after one, you search the world for the right one, you buy it and bask in the victory of new ownership, you impress the neighbors, you now mysteriously attract beautiful women who never even knew you’d existed in the past, you unexpectedly find a new exotic car to lust after, you pack the current exotic in one of your garages, and then repeat the process with the next exotic… My first Ferrari was bought in early 2008. It was enjoyed, made amazing memories, and packed away in late 2008. I haven’t seen it since I’d moved across the country years ago. It still has the 2008 license plates on it…
It is not the exotic car that attracts the women, it is the ability to be able to buy the car that attracts them. The women are trying to win the life lottery and rich guys are more than willing to let them spin the dial but as with a Vegas slot machine, a lot more losers than winners in the game. Sorry if the exotic owners think differently, but it has nothing at all to do with you, just your wallet.
When the Saudi’s run out of gas, they park these exotics, and buy another one!
I get them not being used. I vividly remember when I was 17, and my dad was about 50. I had the Olds station wagon with the fake wood trim, that was maybe 6 years old at the time.
I had to get ready for school, and My dad stopped me and said “I just don’t feel like shifting gears today, why don’t you take the 914.” I decided at that time, he was officially old.
It’s low to the ground, no power assist on anything, crank windows, no AC. So I can see why a middle aged guy might be “eh, not today…”
One more thing – These cars often times represent something other than just a car. When I ended up selling the 914 a few years ago, I asked my father if it was OK (the car had the 914 hell hole). He said “the car served its purpose; it proved that I was just as good as the kids who had speedsters when I was in college”. So I can see that maybe it’s not so much the car, but the achievement. Even though they love the car, love the driving, etc. There’s something more than the act of driving.
Nice video and car but he never mentioned addressing the leaks.
Love to follow along with these restorations. Having been there a few times, it’s never as easy as they make it look and could be dangerous for a young guy who has more dollars than sense. Still, YouTube has made me a far more efficient amateur mechanic.